Carlton Colville Primary School

Below is our whole school French overview for this academic year. For more detailed information about French, please view the termly overviews within each of the year group class pages.

At Carlton Colville Primary School, we teach a modern foreign language to all children in KS2 as part of the school curriculum. Learning a modern foreign language supports our pupils to become global citizens and leads to an awareness that they are part of a global community, where respect and appreciation of differing cultures and languages is paramount. Due to this, the MFL curriculum that we provide at Carlton Colville Primary includes a strong emphasis on learning about the culture of the relevant country. We aim for our children to find learning a second language highly enjoyable and hope that they will be encouraged to continue studying a modern foreign language in secondary school and further education.

Although children in KS2 receive French lessons, children in KS1 and Early Years are also exposed to different languages and cultures through the medium of simple, well-known story books and songs. We wish to prepare our children to become successful lifelong learners and we are aware that their future employers would view a bilingual individual as an asset.
 

Curriculum planning for MFL is based on the programme from the Rigolo scheme of work and carried out in three phases: long-term, medium-term and short-term. The long-term plan maps out the MFL breadth covered within each year group for each academic term. This ensures the statutory MFL Programme of Study objectives are robustly covered across all KS2 classes.  The medium-term plans give details of each unit of work for each term.  Short-term plans are specific lesson plans, with learning objectives and expected outcomes, giving details of how the lesson is to be taught. The class teacher manages these plans and uses them to support the teaching and learning.

In Key Stage 2 the teaching is based on the guidance material provided by 'Rigolo' scheme, Chris Quigley materials and from the Key Stage 2 Statutory Framework for Languages. The latter has been adapted to the context of our school and the abilities of our children. 'Rigolo' combines a variety of new and traditional media. There is a suite of multimedia materials which are particularly suitable for use with an interactive whiteboard, so the whole class can work on the materials at the same time.

A variety of teaching methodologies are used to encourage the children to engage actively in French lessons: these include games, role-play, paired work and songs (particularly action songs). Flashcards are used both with and without text. The children can make their own mini-books and there is some limited use of worksheets. The school has invested in a wide range of resources including books and resources that will help not only with language learning but will also help to promote cultural understanding.

Children are continually assessed focusing on the breadth and depth of their learning. Teachers continually assess the acquisition of skills and knowledge throughout each session and will reinforce, support or challenge pupils accordingly to deepen their understanding and master techniques. 

Each KS2 class has its own set of resources including posters and laminated flashcards. 'Rigolo' is available on all the computers used by Key Stage 2. There are a range of teaching resources, which includes; fiction and non-fiction books, puppets, Rigolo Big Books, play Euros/food, song books, CDs, teacher manuals, French artefacts and objects.

Assessment
Our bespoke assessment systems enables teachers to make informed judgements about the depth learning and the progress each pupil has made over time. Critically this then enables teachers to identify and therefore address any gaps in pupil’s French knowledge.
Through skilled questioning, teachers pick up on any misconceptions which they rectify through live feedback during the lessons and through marking of pupils' work. 
 

Our MFL curriculum gives the children the best opportunity to gain skills and to educate them about the importance of understanding different cultures and the benefits of learning another language; an integral part of them becoming a valued global citizen in the future. We equip our children with the necessary skills and knowledge so they will hopefully grow up to live happy and healthy lives, utilising the skills, knowledge and respect acquired through MFL.  

Highlighted MFL impact includes: (this is not an exhaustive list)

• Pupils who can draw upon (recall) prior knowledge of French words and phrases.
• Pupils who have an appreciation of cultures that differ to their own.
• Pupils who can respond confidently with simple responses, when asked common questions in French.
   

Jayden – "I really enjoyed learning how to describe other people in French."
Amy – "In Year 4 we learnt how to say some colours in French. This helped me in Year 5 when we had to sing a French song all about colours."
Evie – "I find French hard to learn but I know I have to be determined and keep trying."
Year 4 pupil- I enjoy learning French. It will help me if I visited Paris, in France.
Year 5 pupil- We us Rigolo to help us pronounce important French words and sentences. I find it very helpful.
Year 5 pupil- Last year we leant about school subjects, different sports and peoples’ families in French.